Career and Education Opportunities for Insulation Installers in San Diego, California

Insulation installers can find both educational opportunities and jobs in the San Diego, California area. About 3,000 people are currently employed as insulation installers in California. By 2016, this is expected to grow 7% to 3,200 people employed. This is not quite as good as the nation as a whole, where employment opportunities for insulation installers are expected to grow by about 15.2%. Insulation installers generally line and cover structures with insulating materials.

A person working as an insulation installer can expect to earn about $18 hourly or $37,860 annually on average in California and about $15 per hour or $31,900 yearly on average in the U.S. as a whole. Insulation installers earn less than people working in the category of Home and Office Installation generally in California and less than people in the Home and Office Installation category nationally.

The San Diego area is home to sixty schools of higher education, including one within twenty-five miles of San Diego where you can get a degree as an insulation installer. Insulation installers usually hold less than a high school diploma, so you can expect to spend only a short time studying to be an insulation installer if you already have a high school diploma.

CAREER DESCRIPTION: Insulation Installer

Insulation Installer video from the State of New Jersey Dept. of Labor and Workforce Development

In general, insulation installers line and cover structures with insulating materials. They also may work with batt, roll, or blown insulation materials.

Insulation installers fit or glue insulating materials to structures or surfaces, using hand tools or wires. They also measure and trim insulation for covering surfaces, using tape measures or scissors. Finally, insulation installers cover and line structures with blown or rolled forms of materials to insulate against cold or moisture, using saws and other tools and implements.

Every day, insulation installers are expected to be able to twist and stretch their arms and legs to get work done. It is also important that they use lower back and abdominal strength.

It is important for insulation installers to read blueprints and decide on appropriate insulation, on the basis of space characteristics and the heat retaining or excluding characteristics of the material. They are often called upon to cover or finish insulated surfaces or access holes with plastic covers, canvas strips, sealants, tape, cement or asphalt mastic. They also distribute insulating materials evenly into small spaces within floors or walls, using blowers and hose attachments, or cement mortars. They are sometimes expected to fill blower hoppers with insulating materials. Somewhat less frequently, insulation installers are also expected to ready surfaces for insulation application by brushing or spreading on adhesives or asphalt, or by attaching metal pins to surfaces.

Insulation installers sometimes are asked to clear away old insulation such as asbestos, following safety procedures. And finally, they sometimes have to clear away old insulation such as asbestos, following safety procedures.

Like many other jobs, insulation installers must be thorough and dependable and be reliable.

EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITIES: Insulation Installer Training

Palomar College - San Marcos, CA

Palomar College, 1140 W. Mission, San Marcos, CA 92069-1487. Palomar College is a large college located in San Marcos, California. It is a public school with primarily 2-year programs and has 28,093 students. Palomar College has an associate's degree and a two to four year program in Construction Trades, Other Specialties.

LOCATION INFORMATION: San Diego, California

San Diego, California photo by FlickreviewR

San Diego is situated in San Diego County, California. It has a population of over 1,279,329, which has grown by 4.6% over the last ten years. The cost of living index in San Diego, 141, is far greater than the national average. New single-family homes in San Diego are valued at $323,700 on average, which is well above the state average. In 2008, six hundred forty-one new homes were constructed in San Diego, down from seven hundred forty-eight the previous year.

The three big industries for women in San Diego are health care, educational services, and professional, scientific, and technical services. For men, it is professional, scientific, and technical services, accommodation and food services, and construction. The average travel time to work is about 23 minutes. More than 35.0% of San Diego residents have a bachelor's degree, which is higher than the state average. The percentage of residents with a graduate degree, 13.4%, is higher than the state average.

The unemployment rate in San Diego is 10.5%, which is less than California's average of 12.3%.

The percentage of San Diego residents that are affiliated with a religious congregation, 43.7%, is less than both the national and state average. Penasquitos Nazarene Church, Peace Lutheran Church and Paul E Kidd African Methodist Episcopal Church are some of the churches located in San Diego. The most common religious groups are the Catholic Church, the LDS (Mormon) Church and the Southern Baptist Convention.

San Diego is home to the Zlac Rowing Club and the Rancho Los Penasquitos Golf Course as well as Adobe Bluffs Park and John F Kennedy Park. Shopping malls in the area include San Diego Factory Outlet Shopping Center, San Carlos Shopping Center and Montgomery Plaza Shopping Center. Visitors to San Diego can choose from Best Western Posada at the Yac, Beachfront San Diego and Banana Bungalow Hostel San Diego for temporary stays in the area.